


Cuddling in the Cold

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Series: Sleepy Hollow OTP Prompts [22]
Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Cold Weather, Cuddle or Freeze, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Hypothermia, Injured Abbie, Sharing Body Heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 17:45:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2630699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snowstorm. Hurt, lost. Waiting on a rescue.</p>
<p>Of course cuddling ensues.</p>
<p>
  <b>Prompt: Imagine your OTP gets caught in a snowstorm and has to cuddle for warmth.</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cuddling in the Cold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sagittae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagittae/gifts).



> Prompted by [Xelbie](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Xelbie/pseuds/Xelbie). Thank you and I hope it's good enough! This is such a good trope; I hope it happens in the show. Maybe with a yeti. Just saying.
> 
> I do not own _Sleepy Hollow_. Thanks for reading!

"Crane?"

Ichabod spun around, snow kicking up around his heels as he did.

They were stuck in the thick of it, a foot deep, in the middle of a snowstorm chasing down a yeti. A freaking yeti. Because those things were real. And while Abbie appreciated the impromptu vacation from Sleepy Hollow, she _did not_ appreciate being stuck in the middle of Montana, in the middle of winter, in the middle of a snowstorm. Crane was all for it - after his initial grumbles about flying there - because he got to experience more of the United States of America in this century... but, seriously, _Montana_? A freaking snowstorm and a yeti that did _not_ look like any abominable snowman she'd ever seen.

"Lieutenant, look out!"

Abbie hated those words. She spun around, too, only to get something dirty-white and slimy come at her. She made to duck, but didn't manage because the thing hit her across the chest, knocking the breath out of her as it sent her flying.

She didn't know what happened after, but she landed hard in the snow and went head over heels, tumbling through the powdery white snow around her until she rolled to a stop, dizzy, nauseous, and in pain.

"Lieutenant! _Lieutenant!_ "

Abbie sighed thinly through her teeth. Her breath puffed into a cloud in front of her face. Her leg was killing her.

"Abbie!"

"Fine!" she yelled back, gritting her teeth.

Ichabod came stumbling down the hill moments later, slipping and sliding but somehow managing to stay on his feet. "Lieutenant!" He slid to his knees next to her, pulling his hat (that she had barely gotten him to wear in the first place) off. His hair fell wildly around his face, his eyes worried as he leaned closer. "Are you unharmed?" he asked.

"Um..." Abbie shifted slightly, feeling herself pale when she moved her leg. "No. Definitely not unharmed," she muttered. "I think something's twisted. Sprained. I guess it could be broken, too, I'm kind of numb to begin with..." She pressed her gloved hands to her leg. "Shit."

Ichabod frowned. "We need to get into shelter..." He looked around. "Those trees over there will provide some protection against the wind. Can you walk?"

Abbie took Ichabod's offered hand and staggered to her feet, staggering immediately. "Uh, nope." Shit again. How was she supposed to get back?

"Very well. Allow me to assist you," Crane said, crouching down to her level.

"Woah, you are not picking me up!" she exclaimed. Not after the last time, not after the reaction she'd gotten from Jenny, not after his accidental grab the last time.

Ichabod made a face. "I was implying that you put your arm around my neck and proceed to use me as a crutch."

"Oh." Abbie hesitated. "Right."

The trees weren't that far away, but by the time that they collapsed into the snow collected there, Abbie was ridiculously close to tears. It hurt _now_.

Ichabod started to move away after making sure she was settled, but Abbie was having none of that.

"Where are you going?"

Ichabod glanced back, holding up Abbie's phone. "To find a signal. You have no... bar thingies."

"Oh."

"I will be right back, Lieutenant," Ichabod vowed. "Do not worry."

"Wasn't worrying," Abbie mumbled, as Ichabod paced away.

"They're sending a team now," Ichabod said when he returned. "As soon as they can get to us." He sat down next to Abbie, tossing his gloves aside. There were hectic spots of color on his cheeks and his hands were turning red.

"G-Great," Abbie muttered, rubbing her arms. The cold had seeped into her thick coat and gloves and boots, and the entire bottom half of her was getting frozen from sitting in the snow.

"Abbie..." Ichabod frowned, then moved into action. "Might I make a suggestion? If you'll allow me, I may be able to help you retain warmth."

"Sharing bo-body heat." Because, right now, she didn't _care_ as long as she got out of this alive. Besides, she knew all about heat preservation. Self preservation. She'd had a class.

Ichabod nodded and sat down next to her. "Indeed."

Abbie shifted closer to Ichabod, unsure how to go about this. Yes, she'd _had_ a class, but that didn't tell her how to _cuddle_ with her best-friend-slash-Witness in the middle of a snowstorm.

"Perhaps..." Ichabod ventured. "May I?"

Abbie nodded.

Ichabod reached forward and, with much more determination than Abbie had expected, pulled her into his arms. Abbie blinked in surprise but settled against his chest slowly.

"Is that alright?"

"Yeah." Abbie nodded slowly.

Ichabod paused for another moment before tightening his grip slightly. "I'm afraid that I can't provide anything else except body heat... oh, perhaps my coat."

Abbie shook her head. "No... you don't need hypothermia on top of all this," she mumbled. She hesitated for a second before tucking her head against his chest and shoulder, burying her exposed face into the wool of his coat.

"Your health is more important," Ichabod said. She could feel the vibrations of him talking through their direct skin-to-skin contact.

Abbie laughed breathlessly. "Y-Yeah, well, nonetheless, d-don't take your coat off, and put that h-hat and gloves back on."

"Oh." Ichabod's arms vanished from around her, leaving her feeling more cold than previously. "I don't like these gloves," he muttered. "They restrict my finger's movement."

"A-All of them do," Abbie mumbled.

Ichabod hummed and his arms wrapped back around Abbie as she shivered. "I'm sure that they'll be here soon."

"Mhmm." Abbie closed her eyes, nudging infinitesimally closer into his warmth. She was suddenly grateful that he was so huge and she was so tiny next to him. She fit into his arms perfectly. She wouldn't admit that out loud, though.

"Do not fall asleep on me, Miss Mills," he said, nudging her shoulder.

"Not planning on it," Abbie muttered. But the cold made her eyes sting and she was in pain, so she'd rather turn into his warmth than try to have a conversation right now.

"Very good," Ichabod muttered. He was silent for a moment before he rested his head lightly on top of hers. "This is most unfortunate."

Abbie wanted to say _tell me about it_ , but it was just too much effort. She just tightened her grip around her own fingers and tried to stop shivering.

 


End file.
